Reviewing and Writing

My friend Andy once told me I am a poet even if I am not actively writing poetry.

It's all a state of mind.

I am a writer even when I am not writing. Even if I never get published or recognized. Even if it all sucks.

Sometimes people's reviews read like poetry. Maybe because they can bring about the sort of feelings that a poem can stir up inside me.

My favorite one was for a short story published in the paper that I now write for. Many years ago they had a short story contest and I won second place. The editor compared the story to an iceberg, with more than 80 percent of it beneath the water. It takes writing talent to come up with a review like that. I loved it, because it made sense. There was more under the surface than just what the words were saying.

I remember being in a writer's group at that time, being only 21 years old, unable to give anyone a review. I knew whether or not I liked the stories I heard. I was just unable to put into words anything constructive. I think now I could do it much better. I can recognize when a piece is just crap, and why it is crap. Or what feeling the poem or story stirs up in me, or whether or not the word choice is correct, or if the character development works.

I need to practice my reviewing skills. I received my first review for a poem I put on Writing.com, and it was beautiful. A very well-written review. Not only do I need to add some more things to the website, I need to read some others, write some reviews, and get more exposure.

I do remember one response to a short story that I wrote while in high school. The person said it was amazing the way I used the house at the end as a metaphor for life and death, the whole theme of the story.

This kind of amused me, as I had never written it with that intent. It made sense, though, and I wonder if I did that subconsciously. It just seemed to fit, so I put it in there. The experience always makes me wonder about other writers' intentions. When we study the symbolism in a book in school, I always wonder if the writer really intended to put that there, or if people are reading too far into things. I think sometimes that is the case. But, still, I love me some symbolism.

And now I am still blogging because I love the feel of the keys on my fingers, and the sound they make as the words just race across the screen. It's like talking just to hear the sound of your own voice. But, hey - isn't that what a blog is anyway?